# Cooking with fresh herbs



## cigar no baka (Sep 7, 2005)

I recently decided to return to my roots, swearing off canned spaghetti sauces. My family always make great sauce from scratch.

I recently decided to use fresh herbs - oregano, thyme and basil. But when i use them, my sauce turns bitter? Anyone know what I may be doing wrong?


----------



## Guitarman-S.T- (Jun 14, 2006)

Always put fresh herbs in a saucepan AT the end. Right when it is the right consitansy, the right tang, BAM kick it up with the fresh herbs... stir then serve. If you let them sit to long they will stew....become bitter-
S.T-


----------



## cigar no baka (Sep 7, 2005)

Ok thanks I guess I was putting them in waaaay too early!!


----------



## Kayak_Rat (Nov 28, 2005)

Guitarman-S.T- said:


> Always put fresh herbs in a saucepan AT the end. Right when it is the right consitansy, the right tang, *BAM *kick it up with the fresh herbs... stir then serve. If you let them sit to long they will stew....become bitter-
> S.T-


:r Cracked me up!!!!


----------



## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

Ya, fresh herbs at the end, and I would go light on the oregano if you are making tomato sauce; just equal parts thyme and basil. Some tie a bunch of herbs with twine of cheesecloth and remove them at end.

I'd never want to eat canned sauce or anything from can for that matter. Did you grow these herbs yourself? I think thyme and lavendar are the most useful herbs, with basil just behind.


----------



## Bobb (Jun 26, 2006)

Another thing to watch out for is that overcooking tomatos can cause a bitter taste as well. I like to add my fresh tomatos (diced, pureed, or however you like them) after I've sauteed the other veggies and have turned down the heat. Just another thing to try


----------



## caskwith (Apr 10, 2006)

when i make marinera sauce i cook the tomatoes gently for over an hour with a pinch of sugar and finely diced onion until very thick, then throw in a handful of torn basil leaves season with salt and pepper and serve straightaway.

the resulting sauce is smooth (ish) sweet and tangy with a wonderful fresh flavour.


----------



## Brodie (Aug 22, 2006)

The bitterness could come from a bunch of different sources. I agree with mosesbotbol that you should go light on the oregano, if using any at all. Basil should only be used at the very end of the cooking time, preferably after removing the sauce from the heat. Thyme can be added pretty early in the cooking time. I add it to my tomato sauce after I've cooked the onions, but before adding the tomatoes.

I personally wouldn't use all 3 of these in the same sauce. I use only thyme in my standard tomato sauce. I use basil in fresh and/or uncooked tomato sauces. And I only use oregano in Greek dishes. The only "Italian" dish I'd use oregano in is pizza sauce.

Just my :2


----------



## snkbyt (Jun 22, 2006)

cigar no baka said:


> Ok thanks I guess I was putting them in waaaay too early!!


also w/fresh herbs USE LESS. it has more punch that the spice rack stuff


----------



## Guitarman-S.T- (Jun 14, 2006)

snkbyt said:


> also w/fresh herbs USE LESS. it has more punch that the spice rack stuff


Fresh herbs use more, Dried herbs are more consentrated by there size so a tablespoon of fresh thyme or an example i would only use a TEASPOON of the dried stuff.

If you keep the sauce on a low heat they shoudl be fine, the point is to stew the tomatoes not the herbs-


----------



## cigar no baka (Sep 7, 2005)

mosesbotbol said:


> Ya, fresh herbs at the end, and I would go light on the oregano if you are making tomato sauce; just equal parts thyme and basil. Some tie a bunch of herbs with twine of cheesecloth and remove them at end.
> 
> I'd never want to eat canned sauce or anything from can for that matter. Did you grow these herbs yourself? I think thyme and lavendar are the most useful herbs, with basil just behind.


No I buy my fresh herbs at my local grocery store, but I would love to grow my own someday.


----------



## cigar no baka (Sep 7, 2005)

OK, I finally got it right!! Started off by sauteeing onions and mushrooms, then threw in some sliced garlic. Then added some tomato sauce and ground spicy sausage. Diced up some fresh tomatoes and threw them in. Then finished off by putting in some fresh basil and thyme, finely chopped, in right after I turned off the heat and stirred them in. 

Best damn sauce I've made in over ten years. No going back now, just wish I could find a better source of fresh herbs in Houston. Maybe I will have to start growing my own.


----------



## RPB67 (Mar 26, 2005)

Ok ! being Italian cooking sauce is my thing.

I first get the pot you are cooking the sauce in.

Put it on the stove on very low

Put enough Olive Oil on the bottom just to cover it. No More or you will have a greasy sauce.

I dice an onion and dice my garlic ( very fine) put it in the oil with some of the herbs and cook it very slowly. Just enough to simmer. Yum ! The smell !!!

When looks cooked either add tomatoes or Kitchen Ready if in a rush. Only use Pastene Products they seem to be the best. Also add a can of paste for each can of kichen ready or each 16oz of sauce. Let that simmer a bit. 

You should be know frying your meatballs,sausage and pork to go in. Just brown them.Stick them in the pot and let them simmer as well.Add some more of your spices. I also fry up a stck of peperoni in pieces and that adds a nice spicy flavor as well.

Then be sure to add some good Romano cheese and some more of your herbs diced up realy good.

The biggest thing is this needs to SIMMER not be cooked to fast. If you cook it to fast you will burn the bottom and it will burn all the flavors out of it. I usually let it all simmer together for 6-8 hours. The longer the better. 

Simmer Only

If your gravy is to acidy you can add a teaspoon of sugar to it as well and that will take the acidity away.

Pasta is a big thing as well. Either use home-made or by Barilla it is the best.


----------



## SilvrBck (Sep 8, 2003)

The great thing about adding the fresh herbs late is that you preserve so much of the volitile oils in the leaves (it isn't boiled/simmered away). This in combination with the flavor of the herbs results in a one-two punch of flavor and aroma that is simply unmatched by dried herbs. 

Your sauce sounds awesome.

SB


----------



## cigar no baka (Sep 7, 2005)

RPB67 said:


> Ok ! being Italian cooking sauce is my thing.
> 
> I first get the pot you are cooking the sauce in.
> 
> ...


Thanks, I'm going to try that, it's very different from the way I have been doing it, and I am always looking to improve my sauce!!


----------



## RPB67 (Mar 26, 2005)

cigar no baka said:


> Thanks, I'm going to try that, it's very different from the way I have been doing it, and I am always looking to improve my sauce!!


Thats the way my mother and grandmother did it.

In italy they cook it all fresh the way I told you but in a saute pan. They usually only cook enough for waht they need that nights dinner.


----------



## kansashat (Mar 13, 2004)

cigar no baka said:


> No I buy my fresh herbs at my local grocery store, but I would love to grow my own someday.


We've got quite a few fellas growing their own herb around here.


----------



## Blueface (May 28, 2005)

RPB67 said:


> Ok ! being Italian cooking sauce is my thing.
> 
> I first get the pot you are cooking the sauce in.
> 
> ...


Richard,
Sounds like a great recipe similar to others I have been provided that make "gravy" v. "sauce". I love that bout. It is gravy, no it is sauce, no if it has meat in it, it is gravy. My Italian friends in Newark, NJ would go at it all the time when I was growing up.

When it comes to the spices, which specifically and approximately how much?
I love trying different recipes for a great gravy with all the meats as you list.
It is definitely a very slow and long process and not one for a 30 minute meal from Rachel Ray.


----------



## cigar no baka (Sep 7, 2005)

kansashat said:


> We've got quite a few fellas growing their own herb around here.


Well hey, send me some seeds and I'll put them in. They'll probably fit in well surrounded in my new herb garden with oregano, thyme and basil.


----------

